Data Show Individual Poultry Operations Emit Hundreds of Thousands of Lbs of Ammonia

Based on data from multiple studies, broiler producers in the top 10 states released an estimated 481,764,049 pounds of ammonia in 2007, or more than eight times the combined total reported by industrial sources – such as steel mills and oil refineries -- to the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

The top 10 states (in descending order of emissions) are Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. Based on a recent study for USEPA in Indiana, egg laying operations in the top ten states released an estimated 221,551,888 pounds of ammonia in 2007, with top ten states including Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, California, Arkansas, North Carolina and Florida.

Ammonia is a toxic substance that can be irritating to the skin, eyes, throat, and lungs, and can cause coughing and burns. The EPA has not established air quality standards for ammonia, but studies show that concentrations of ammonia in the exhaust from some barns appear to exceed occupational exposure limits established by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The poultry industry has petitioned the EPA for exemption from the requirement to report ammonia and other emissions under right to know laws, and EPA proposed granting this exemption for all livestock operations, including dairy, swine and beef operations. The measure was sent to the Office of Management and Budget for final review and approval on October 24, 2008.